Using the right fertilizer will make your okra look and taste better. Even better, a good fertilizer will make your plant bear more okras. Who doesn’t want that?
So, check out the best fertilizer for okra in this post.
What Is The Best Fertilizer For Okra?
The old favorite Miracle Gro-All Purpose Plant Food is possibly the best fertilizer for okra, but in all honesty, there are a number of good options. Osmocote Smart-Release Plant Food will encourage robust root development whilst Dr. Earth Home Grown Organic Fertilizer is a great organic fertilizer.
What You Need to Know About Okra
Before we start looking at the best fertilizer for okra, let us first talk about this polarizing fruit.
Yep! You read that right!
Biologically, okra is a fruit. You know that because it has seeds in the middle. That is usually the distinguishing characteristic of a fruit.
However, in the culinary world, it is used as a vegetable. This means that it is usually used in savory dishes and not in desserts and juices.
Now
It is a flowering plant under the mallow family. This group is actually quite interesting as it is made up of flowering plants that are quite different from each other:
- Cacao
- Cotton
- Durian
- Hibiscus
- Lime / linden tree
- Okra
Where did it come from?
There are different reports on this front. Some say okra originated in Ethiopia while some say somewhere in West Africa.
There are also those saying it came from South Asia.
It doesn’t matter
Wherever it came from, people should just be thankful that its presence has reached all over the world.
While there are a lot of people who hate okra, it’s actually an important ingredient in many dishes.
Obviously
Okra is an important ingredient in Ethiopian, South Asian, and West African cooking. That’s exactly why people say okra originated in either of those regions.
This fruit is also popular in Indian, Middle Eastern, and Southern United States cuisine.
More often
When people think of okra in a culinary sense, they immediately think of gumbo.
For those who don’t know, gumbo is a popular stew in some parts of the U.S. It is the official state cuisine of Louisiana.
The okra is not just used for its taste but also as a thickener.
It’s quite versatile, too!
Okra can be eaten without fanfare. You can roast it and then eat it after. You can also dip it in your favorite sauce or dressing.
It can also be sauteed with other vegetables and it can be deep-fried too. Some would also mix it in an omelet.
Plus!
Okra is very nutritious. It’s like the quintessential vegetable–not a lot of people like the taste, but it’s needed in the system because it’s very healthy.
This fruit is rich in vitamins A, C, and K. It’s also low in calories.
That should be the dealmaker!
It also has antioxidants that could lower a person’s chance of getting cancer. There are also polyphenols, which help prevent stroke and heart problems.
This fruit is also known to help control sugar levels.
Are you convinced yet?
These benefits should already convince you to start eating okra.
The good thing is that okra is quite easy to plant and care for. You should really plant okra in your backyard.
Growing Okra
Also known as ladies’ fingers because of its shape, okra is quite easy to grow especially from its seeds.
Here’s the deal
Okra can tolerate poor soils. It can also thrive even if its soil pH is not the usual range that gardeners consider good.
There are other parts where the okra is quite persnickety. For example, the okra needs full sun and it craves heat.
If they don’t have enough heat
They will easily fall prey to pests and diseases.
Even if it will survive diseases and pests, the okra will not be able to grow healthy nor produce healthy fruits if they are forced to continue growing in the shade.
Related to that
Okra cannot tolerate the frost. It could get damaged, or worse, die when the temperatures are freezing.
So, the first step to ensuring that you can plant okra is to find a spot where you know it will be exposed to full sunlight.
Look
We mentioned that okra can tolerate poor soil. However, if you truly want a healthy plant, soil actually matters when growing okra.
You want good-looking okra that tastes delicious. The soil will be an important factor to that.
You know what else?
If you have to plant fruits or vegetables at home, you should maximize their fruit-bearing capacity.
That’s where fertilizers come in. You want to make the soil truly healthy so that the okra will bear as many fruits as it can.
With that
There is also such a thing as the right fertilizer. Find the right fertilizer that will allow you to have great-tasting okra that will also produce a good number of fruits.
The soil should also be loose. This is because okra has large-enough roots. The soil should be loose enough for the roots to comfortably extend.
Here’s more:
You have to water the okra regularly.
In the same manner, you have to be vigilant with weeds. You need to uproot them as soon as you see them so that they won’t compete with the nutrition that should go to the okra.
It’s now time to look at the best fertilizers to help the okra grow healthy and bear plenty of delicious fruits.
Best Fertilizer for Okra
Here are some of the fertilizers that you can buy in your local supermarket or gardening store that are beneficial to your okra plant.
1. Miracle Gro All-Purpose Plant Food
This fertilizer is the go-to plant food for many plants. It’s for good reason, too, as this product is composed of many essential nutrients needed for the plant’s growth.
It allows the plant to grow healthy and more beautiful. If you are growing flowers, they will surely grow more abundant.
For fruits and vegetables
You will surely enjoy more produce when using this plant food. It’s safe to use for all plants as well.
This is definitely one of the best plant foods out there, and one of the best for okra. You will surely enjoy bigger and better-tasting fruits.
How to use this product:
For best results, feed the okra with this plant food every two weeks or so using a garden feeder.
You should know that this product has a 24-8-16 mix.
2. Osmocote Smart-Release Plant Food
This type of fertilizer encourages the okra to have robust root development. That also translates to astonishing growth.
This means that you will have large fruits and healthy ones to boot.
Even better!
It helps the plant develop really good colors. So, in the case of the okra, you will have a healthy green color in the garden.
The same goes for the flowers–okra has some pale yellow flowers that add to the aesthetics of the garden.
How to use this product:
This is actually among the fertilizers that are really easy to apply to your plants. You just sprinkle a scoop of this product for every four square feet of garden area.
You then mix it with the top soil and add water.
You know what else?
This product lasts for four months. That would really save you a lot of money.
3. The Old Farmer’s Almanac Vegetable Fertilizer
This is a natural and organic fertilizer that is made for vegetables, including fruits that are used as vegetables.
The okra will definitely enjoy the benefits of this product.
What are they?
It has both slow- and quick-release nutrients. This would allow the okra to have proper growth and to have nutrients on every level of development.
The nutrients are high-quality and protein-based, which are important for vegetables.
This product is also ideal for both indoor and outdoor plants.
How to use this product:
This has an 8-4-8 mixture. It is packed in a bag that would allow you to easily pour the fertilizer directly onto the plants.
The fertilizer can cover some 250 square feet and one feeding could last between six and eight weeks.
4. Dr. Earth Home Grown Organic Fertilizer
This is an organic fertilizer, which is already a good thing in my books. But there’s so much more of this product than just being organic.
For example, this is a non-GMO product that is safe for people and for pets.
Then
It has high-quality ingredients packed with carbohydrates, proteins, and humic acids to bolster the health of the soil.
This will then lead to a healthy okra.
How to use this product:
This is a 4-6-3 fertilizer mix. This would stay in the soil for several months. You don’t have to frequently replenish your okra plant food.
5. MasterBlend Vegetable Fertilizer
This can be used for indoor and outdoor gardening. However, okra can also be grown through hydroponic gardening.
This is a fertilizer that would be fantastic for hydroponic okra.
How to use this product:
This is a water-soluble fertilizer. It’s magnificently concentrated that contains all the important trace minerals that your okra needs.
It’s very easy to use, too.
Summary
Okra is one of those really polarizing vegetables. Some love it, and a large chunk of people hate it. However, there is no doubt that this fruit that is used as a vegetable is utterly nutritious.
It’s a popular gumbo ingredient. Okra can be eaten without much production since you can steam or grill it and eat it as is. It’s not just known for its taste, but also for its sticky characteristic that would serve as a thickener in stews.
Having the best fertilizer for your okra will allow you to have healthy plants and produce in the garden. When you use the appropriate fertilizer for your okra, you could have large and abundant products that taste really amazing as well.
Useful Resources
- 7 Nutritional and Health Benefits of Okra – Healthline
- How to Grow Okra in Your Veggie Garden This Year – Good Housekeeping
- How to Grow Okra – The Spruce
